Many modern aircraft systems are operated or controlled by software that is developed and approved for use in civil-certified aircraft and related systems. Such systems may be used to perform tasks such as recording aircraft operational or maintenance data, such as from engines or other aircraft systems, downloading data from other data recorders, and/or transmitting data via a cellular modem, satellite or other communications network.
Aircraft software is typically preloaded prior to aircraft delivery, and new applications often require new software releases to accommodate the mission profiles of different aircrafts and operators. As the software must be certified by civilian aviation airworthiness authorities, such as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), software changes are typically time consuming and costly to deploy to aircraft already in the field.
There is therefore a need for an improved system and method for modifying aircraft software.